Water Boy

From their vantage point on the warm, breezy bluff, they could see a wide stretch of Australian beach shaded by a high, wispy fog. William found it inconceivable that there was no one else in sight. Next to him, Jenna verbalized as much.

“It’s as if we’re the only two people left on the planet. I can’t believe places like this still exist.”

“I don’t think we even saw another car for the last ten miles or so. Now we’re here and no people, no boats…” he mumbled something else she couldn’t hear.

“So what are we waiting for? It’s our own private paradise!” She tugged at his hand and he followed as she sought a path along the gentler slopes of the thirty-foot cliff. About halfway down, she discovered the remnants of a trail that led toward the shore.

“Well, well, evidence of life after all,” William said.

“Yes, but what kind of life?” Jenna teased. “Could have been one of those man-eating jellyfish that carved this path.”

“Box jellyfish don’t eat people.” he pulled her arm to bring her to a stop. “They just sting you to death!” He began poking her with his fingers, wiggling them like tentacles. She swatted his hands away playfully, then turned and ran the last few yards of the path. It ended suddenly, about four feet above the beach. She jumped and allowed herself to roll in the sand, giggling.

The smell of her shampoo lingered behind her auburn tresses, and William breathed it in deeply. Something about that fragrance, so redolent of her nakedness in the shower, combined with the salty air and brought his mind around to possible pleasures. He was still conjuring the image in his head when he saw that she was already undressing. He grinned, and his pulse quickened.

William felt the path’s edge begin to weaken under his weight, and he jumped off as pieces of it crumbled to the ground. Their clothes were soon scattered near the base of the bluff. He held her tightly against his body.

“I want to do it near the water,” he told her between kisses.

“Waves and seaweed and box jellyfish washing over us?” she smiled.

“Something like that.”

He led her across the vast beach to the water’s edge and laid her down. Dappled sunlight occasionally broke through the mist to warm their skin.

Ocean water splashed across them, and Jenna sat up quickly. “Not as comfortable — ” she wiped the sides of her face. “Not as comfortable as it looks in the movies,” she finished.

“Just relax and give it a moment,” he said with a wink. “When are we ever going to have this chance again?” He leaned in to kiss her, letting his hands roam over her smooth body.

“Okay, water boy,” she sized him up flirtatiously. “This must be some teenage fantasy of yours rushing back. I’ll indulge you.” She brushed a lock of wet hair from his forehead and kissed him.

The tail of the next wave lapped gently beneath them.

“See? Kind of sexy, isn’t it?” he asked.

She pursed her lips a bit. “Maybe. If it stays like this.”

He cocked his head, waiting for an honest answer.

“It’s alright. I’m game. Let’s just really make sure no one’s around.”

Afraid that the heat of the moment might have clouded their judgment, they each looked up and down the shoreline thoroughly.

“No one,” William finally said.

“No, but…”

“What?”

“It feels like someone’s watching.”

Another set of waves crashed low, a little farther away now.

“I think the tide is going out,” William said, ignoring her. “We can wait a bit and just enjoy the view.” His hormones had been stoked, and though Jenna’s enjoyment was important to him, too, he was having trouble turning off his desire.

They sat side by side, facing the ocean, naked.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, taking his hand.

He leaned over and kissed her neck. “You’re beautiful.” He moved her hand on to his thigh, and then up from there.

Jenna looked around the beach again.

“Honey, there’s no one here,” he told her.

“Could…” she didn’t finish.

“Could what?”

“Could there be someone in the water?”

William laughed a little nervously. “Sure! Maybe Poseidon himself is watching.”

Jenna picked up on the subtle change in his tone. “Ha! You feel it, too, don’t you?"

“Well I know what I’m not feeling." He exaggerated a look at his now floppy member, pointing to it with both hands.

“Aww. I’m sorry.” She kissed him again.

The water continued to recede.

“Let’s just wade a bit, then,” he finally said.

“Sounds lovely,” she replied, but he could tell her heart wasn’t in it.

They went up to the water’s edge as the mist above them dissipated. The continental shelf was long here, and it seemed to them that the water was only inches deep for miles. They strolled for a few minutes, letting the small waves cover their feet.

“There’s a bit of an undertow, isn’t there?” William said.

“Yes, even in this shallow water. It’s almost like the waves are going in the wrong direction.”

They both stopped and looked back at their piles of clothes, now far behind them. William didn’t wait for her to say it this time.

“Something’s not right.”

“Oh, God, I’m glad you said that,” she exhaled. “I didn’t want to be a nag!”

“There’s almost a little rumble happening, under the sound of the water.”

“Yes! I feel it more than I hear it,” she agreed.

“Maybe we should head back.”

They turned and walked more quickly than before. About half way back to their clothes, William turned and gasped.

“What?” Jenna asked, turning to look. “Oh, Jesus.”

The water was far away now, but the waves were starting to come back.

“That’s not normal, right?” she asked. “I’ve never seen the ocean do this back home. Is the geography so different here?”

“No, I think this is a bad sign,” he said. “Let’s go!”

He grabbed her hand and ran, his toes gripping the coarse sand to help propel him forward. Jenna kept up with him.

He looked at the ocean and between breaths asked, “That’s not fog out there over the water, is it?”

She dared to look again, “No. It’s more water.”

“Fuck!”

They reached the bluff and quickly put on their clothes, watching in horror as water piled on top of water in the distance. The wave was growing larger with each second, charging toward the beach. Jenna jumped up and grabbed the edge of the path, but the rocks and sand simply shifted and fell under her efforts. She tried again, grasping at the edge, but couldn’t find purchase.

William grabbed her hips and thrust her up. She scrambled on to the path, and he jumped after her.

As she turned and reached for his hand, the path gave out beneath them, and they fell back to the beach. The rocks, dirt, and sand rained down on them.

The leading edge of the first wave was washing toward them.

“We have to ride this one,” William said.

“What!?”

“Let it lift us up closer to the path. Then we can swim or climb to higher ground.”

The water was churning violently in the distance, and the first wave was coming at them fast.

“I’m scared, William!”

“We’ll be alright. Here it comes. Ready…”

The water reached them at only shin level, but the force was far beyond what they expected. Jenna’s feet went out from under her, and she fell over face-first into the water. William managed to keep his footing, quickly grabbed her, and pulled her back to him just as the next part of the wave hit them at the thighs, knocking them against the bluff and away from the path. Within seconds, they were lifted off the beach. William looked around desperately and saw a large rock ledge a few feet above their heads.

“Kick!” he told Jenna.

“The water’s too strong! I can’t kick my feet.”

“You have to, even a little, to stay above the water. There’s a rock above us we can use as a platform. We’ll climb higher from there if we need to.”

They saw what was coming and knew a few feet wouldn’t cut it. They’d have to get back to the level of the road if they wanted to stand a chance, but the first step was that ledge.

The waves didn’t retreat, not even for a second, instead compounding with ever-increasing pressure. William kicked with all his might against their force. He managed to keep Jenna afloat with him as the water rose, but then it found a new gear, and it was like nothing he’d ever felt.

It’s just fucking water! he tried to tell himself, but he knew better.

Suddenly, Jenna went under, and William had to pull with all his might to bring her above water again. He struggled to position her in front of him, and the water forced them together into a perverse version of what he had wanted only minutes ago. He had to scream for her to hear him over the furious splashing against the rocks.

“I’m going grab your legs hard and push you up. You grab the ledge.”

He was waiting for her to argue, but she was ghost-white, in shock. She only nodded. Using the relentless current to his advantage, he lifted her out of the water to her thighs, then worked his hands down, grabbing her so hard that she yelled in pain. The water dripped from her and he could smell her shampoo again. It gave him strength, and with enormous effort, he pushed her above his head while the water thrashed them against the bluff. He felt her weight disappear, and for a moment he was afraid he’d lost her. Then he heard her yell, “I’m safe! Its going to hold! Come on, William. Hurry!”

He looked up to see how far he had to go, but he no longer had control of his body. He was slowly forced directly underneath the rocky ledge by the motion of the currents. He saw Jenna’s arm frantically reaching around for him from above.

“William! Take my hand!”

“Go! I’ll pull myself up! Just GO!”

On this last scream, the air was forced from his lungs. He heard Jenna yell, “I love you!” and then her arm disappeared. He tried to catch his breath, but the entire ocean was pushing on his chest. As the water continued to lift him, his head hit the bottom of the overhang. He tried to use his hands to push himself along it and move toward its edge, where he hoped to grab the top and pull himself up. But it was no use. The force of the rising wave held him in place and was now bending his neck against the rock above him.

He decided that the only way out was to stop fighting it, to let it carry him, and maybe it would flush him out from under the ledge. He was seeing stars and knew he needed to breathe, soon. He let himself go limp and waited for his body to float into a horizontal position so he could try to swim.

William saw the height of the next wave and panicked until he got what he was waiting for: he heard a snap — felt it, even — and he was free. He couldn’t feel the pressure on his chest or legs any more, and was sure the water had changed directions just enough to let him float. Then his head went underwater, but he no longer felt the need to breathe. He saw shells and seaweed and sand and rocks tossed randomly about the water. I hope there are no box jellyfish. He smiled, but couldn’t draw a breath to laugh. It didn’t bother him. It was peaceful under here, and he wanted to sleep.

As he closed his eyes, a rusting yellow sign with white letters passed in front of his face.

DANGER. BEACH AND TRAIL CLOSED. DO NOT TRESPASS.